If We Really Believe All This About God, Then What Do We Do?

Good Morning Friends,

Today we stand with Mary at the beginning of something new. The annunciation is not only a Catholic feast—it is a reminder to all Christians that the incarnation changed the universe. Christ’s coming brings both disruption and hope. Stability for some, upheaval for others, but always the promise that God is with us. So, If We Really Believe All This About God, Then What Do We Do?

Scripture Summary

Isaiah 7:10–14; 8:10

God offers fearful King Ahaz a sign—a child called Immanuel, “God with us.” Human plans will fail, but God’s presence will stand.

Hebrews 10:4–10

Animal sacrifices could never remove sin. Christ enters the world saying, “I have come to do your will,” becoming the perfect offering once for all.

Luke 1:26–38

The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus, the Son of God. Though perplexed, she responds with courageous surrender: “Let it be with me according to your word.”

Psalm 40:7–11

The psalmist delights in doing God’s will and proclaims God’s salvation, trusting in God’s steadfast love.

Message: Mary stands where Ahaz once stood—faced with a word from God that disrupts her expectations and threatens her stability. But unlike Ahaz, she does not refuse the sign. She does not hide behind fear or calculation. She simply says: “Here am I… let it be with me according to your word.” Her yes becomes the doorway through which the Promise enters the world. Isaiah shows a king who refuses God’s sign. Hebrews shows a people tempted to return to old patterns. Luke shows a young woman who says yes to God’s future. Together they ask us: If we believe God is faithful, how will we respond? Mary’s yes stands in sharp contrast to Ahaz’s refusal. She steps into God’s new era with trust, even without understanding the how. Hebrews reminds us that Christ ended the old cycle of sacrifice and opened a life shaped by obedience, mercy, and hope. Psalm 40 teaches that doing God’s will is not drudgery but delight. We may also be standing at the edge of a new time. The world is shifting; old patterns are fading. Without God’s Word, these changes can shake us. But if we stand where Mary stood—open, faithful, willing—the Spirit meets us with power, purpose, and peace. Christ is not a stumbling block but salvation. The incarnation is a mystery, yet the annunciation shows how God works: personally, lovingly, and with an invitation to trust. We ask, How can this be? God answers, You are not alone. Nothing is impossible with Me. So we listen for the same invitations: Where God is offering presence rather than power. Where God is calling for obedience rather than performance. Where God is asking for a courageous yes. Mary’s yes is brave—rooted in the conviction that God’s word is more solid than her own plans. Her response becomes the pattern for every disciple who longs for Christ to be formed in them.

And So, the thread in today’s scripture is unmistakable:God’s saving work advances through trustful surrender, not human strength. Ahaz clings to control and misses the comfort of Immanuel. Mary releases control and becomes the vessel of God’s redemption. We stand between them every day.

Pray that we believe Christ changes the world not only 2,000 years ago but today. Pray that we honor the past while stepping faithfully into the future. Pray that we are not trapped by our shadows but shaped by God’s steadfast love. Pray that we endure disruptions with courage, keep the faith, and shine Christ’s light. Pray that we offer not empty sacrifices but lives of love for the sanctification of all.

Blessings,

John Lawson